You are a performer. You love the arts. However, you have been called to do something that will open you up to immense criticism. In talking with young artists, they tell me this is the hardest part of the job- constantly subjecting yourself to the opinion of others. That’s why I want you to start practicing now how you will respond to this constant feedback. This is a skill that will help you no matter what you decide to do with your life. First, you have to know that there are very few things you can control. Get comfortable now with letting all that go. The one constant in any situation is ..read more

Now more than ever, it’s important for musical theatre actors to learn how to master the art of a self-tape. Self-tapes are how actors audition, book jobs, and make a strong first impression with casting directors and creative teams. And they aren’t going away anytime soon. Here are our tried-and-true tips to make sure sure that you are putting your best foot forward next time you put your work on film! 1. Read the Instructions.  This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how frequently actors forget to read the instructions! Oftentimes, the casting director wi ..read more

The landscape of Musical Theatre training has totally changed. Even with in-person opportunities opening up, we are entering a brand new era where more training (and more auditions!) are happening virtually.  Not only are performers expected to audition live and in-person… Now you can virtually train any skill, at any time, wherever and whenever you want. Overwhelming… we know. But if you have big dreams of making it to Broadway, you need to be smart about your training. Here are our top 7 ways to diversify your musical theatre skills and train for Broadway in a post-pandemic world. 1. Pr ..read more

I am the parent of a performer. My daughter Kayla Pecchioni discovered musical theatre at a very young age. She started dancing at three years old and went to non-traditional summer camps like Broadway Bootcamp instead of the traditional craft-making and archery filled summer. Kayla’s Dad and I were onboard with Kayla’s dreams every step of the way. Almost. Dance? Check. Competitive dance with seven costumes a year? Check. Fly across the country to dance for two minutes? Check. Apply to Youth Performing Arts High School? Check. Pick-up from rehearsals at 11 pm? Check. Go to live in New York a ..read more

What’s the number 1 thing actors need to remember when dealing with rejection? Rejection is redirection. In fact, rejection is just part of the job. Ask any actor and they can tell you it take dozens of auditions before that first “yes.” But when you’re new to the theatre industry, rejection can be soul crushing. It might even feel like a huge slap in the face. Many times when actors face rejection, we personalize it. We begin to identify with it. We play the scenario over and over again in our minds. What did I do wrong? Was it my voice? My dancing? My acting? What could I have done better? B ..read more

A musical theatre audition book is an actor’s lifeline. Ask any professional actor and they’ll tell you their audition book is what helps them get the job. An audition book is simply a three ring binder filled with music you can sing at any given moment. So what exactly should your audition book include? 1. Contemporary Musical Theatre – musical theatre songs written in the last 30-40 years. This includes music from shows like Oklahoma, Sound of Music, Music Man, Carousel, My Fair Lady, Fiorello!, Fiddler on the Roof, etc. 2. Traditional Musical Theatre – musical theatre songs written between ..read more

One Sunday morning, when I was around twelve years old, my mom was driving us to church. We didn’t have the best car. It was old and unreliable, at best. Often, money in our household was tight.  About halfway to church, our car stopped running. I don’t remember if it ran out of gas, or broke down, or both. I just remember it stopped moving.  The first thought that crossed my mind was, “We aren’t making it to church today.” But the first thought that crossed my mom’s mind was, “We are absolutely making it to church today.”  My mom didn’t panic. She didn’t cry. She didn’t curse a ..read more

You’ve probably heard the classic joke that goes like this: A tourist is wandering around West 58th Street and 7th Avenue in New York City, lost and confused. He spots a local NYC resident standing on the corner and he asks, “Hey, how do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Without missing a beat, the local says, “Practice.” That’s the truth. If you want to achieve greatness, whether it’s the Olympics or the NBA or Carnegie Hall or being on Broadway, you’ve got to practice, practice, practice.  It takes years of disciplined training to develop a Broadway voice. Even if you weren’t born with tons of ..read more

You dream about being on Broadway. And you’re wondering, “Can I really do this?” “Is this possible, or totally delusional? I’ve heard musical theatre is a tough industry, but how competitive is it, really? Do I have a shot?” We’re not going to sugarcoat things. You’ve got to know right up front that it’s going to be a hard road to get to Broadway, and there will be fierce competition. You’re going to have to set yourself apart from the crowd, make a splash, and make a name for yourself. So, real talk. What are the chances of making it on Broadway? What are the Chances of Making it on Broadway ..read more